The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-19
MANUAL TRAINING IN SCHOOLS.
Professor James Discusses the Question from
an Economic Point of View.


an Economic Point of View.
From Report of Scientific Convention.
The question of manual and industrial train
ing is the most important educational topic now
before the country. The general introduction
into our public schools of systematic training In
the underlying principles of the handcrafts is
the next step in the development of our educa-
tlonal system, step for which we are now
ready and which should be taken Immediately.
The adoption Of this feature into our public edu-
cation is demanded alike in the interest OF sound
intellectual training and by the economic coz
dition of the country.
1.-The furnishing of facilities. in connection
with our public schools, for training in the
fundamental operations of manual Industry,
will accomplish four highly desirable results for
our national education. 1t will tend, in the first
place, to give symmetry to a system winch. at
present, is VIGOROUSLY one-sided and detective.
We hear a great deal about the fancy character
of the instruction offered in our public schools.
/ cannot agree with the charge. When you con-
slider that the school life of the average child
does not exceed even if it attains to the period
of four pears, and that this time is given up
almost exclusively to the requirement OF the
three Rs, and, indeed, is scarcely sufficient for
that, you will agree with me, l think. that
there is little that is fanciful. at least in the
curriculum of the average pupil On
the other hand. the schools cannot be defended
from the charge that their effort is, chiefly if not
altogether, directed to training one side of the
child to the exclusion of the other. Suppose the
pupil who graduates from our system of schools
must begin TO a living the day after
graduation. What can he undertaken He may
enter store, an Office or any one of q limited
number of occupations. His education has been
a liberal education, nothing more. Now, the
onesidedness of our public school system can
be remedied only by introducing into it a system
through it the possibility of entering handcrafts
well cerkships. That can be done by So
called manual education.
"But this feature, if introduced, will accom-
plish another thing, and that is an enormous I'M
provement in attendance of the public schools.
After all our expenditure OF money the per-
g \ 11l-I. - e.
from what it should be. Again, irregular at
tendance is of the most serious evils of our
system. A brief consideration of our industrial
condition will show why this is Take the
of the average laborer, who has a boy, say
ten years of age. The lad has learned to read,
write and cipher during his three years in
school, and now the question comes, shall he
continue at school or go into shop. Why
should he continue to go to SCHOOL, If he goes
into shop be will begin to earn not only little
money, but trade. If he goes to school three
or four years longer he must still spend three or
four years in the shop before he earn his
living that his father would be obliged to
support him six or eight years instead of three
or four.
Now experience has shown that such general
manual training as can be given in connection
with school course to boys from ten to four
teen. or after, will put them forward in their
special work as far as they could have proceeded
If they had gone directly to the shops. But the
training will accomplish something more. 1t
wi II tend to remove from manual calling the
stigma which in the minds of many is attached
to them. The simple fact is that the average
boy or girl who remains In our present schools
until the completion of the course is lost to
ual callings, and many excellent carpenter
machinist Is ruined, to make an Indifferent clerk
or book-keeper. There is a reason for this. The
pupils never brought to associate intelligence
and culture with manual labor. Let them once
appreciate that in carpentering plumbing
there is a wide field for the highest intellectual
qualities, for the greatest ingenuity and the
widest knowledge and perfect revolution will
be effected in their attitude toward these mat
ters
1T is along this line too, that is, the intel
lectual education of the laborer in ediate
connection with his work. that we must rely for
gradual elevation In the social tone of
workmep. The social standing of any calling in
republic must depend largely the relative
rank in intelligence and education. We must
alter the tone of our laboring men, that when
one wishes TO rise higher in the social scale he
a doctor. but educated and skilled laborer.
Toward this end nothing will accomplish SO
much as the giving of liberal education in con-
nection with the mastery of the underlying
principles and skillfulness of our nandtcrafss
but manual training will DO still another
thing for 1t will assist powerfully in devel-
opins intellectual and industrial ability which
now lies dormant in thousands of our children.
Now, general system of education should in its
course aim at exciting and training all the differ
ent powers and facilities of its pupils. It does
not even approximately accomplish this at the
present time.
'The future of our public educational system
is believe, firmly bound up in and dependent
upon the future of manual training. AS the lat
ter succeeds the former will flourish"